Chaeto Chaos

[sen5241b]

Little strands of chaeto from chamber 2 keep slipping through and shooting out the nozzles into the main tank. The little pieces of chaeto also occasionally jam my Hydor FLO Rotating Deflector. I pushed the stock, blue sponge down in the slot in chamber 3 (although it had slipped out during maintenance). After a big change out the green stuff was flying all over the place.

 

How do you keep your chaeto from getting out of chamber 2? Assuming the blue sponge stays in place will that do it?

[Mr. Fosi]

Is the chaeto falling apart?

[sen5241b]

Is the chaeto falling apart?

 

Yes, some of it is. The original clump seems a bit smaller than it was.

[Mr. Fosi]

Sounds like it isn't happy.

 

How are you lighting it?

[sen5241b]

Sounds like it isn't happy.

 

How are you lighting it?

 

I have 2 submersible halogen bulbs. The chaeto has been happy since last summer and then about a couple weeks ago it started doing this. It was originally a fist size clump that grew to 2 fists but now it is back to 1. Perhaps the bulbs are getting old?

[GobyDude]

I have 2 submersible halogen bulbs. The chaeto has been happy since last summer and then about a couple weeks ago it started doing this. It was originally a fist size clump that grew to 2 fists but now it is back to 1. Perhaps the bulbs are getting old?

 

Your problem is most likely heat related. You shouldn't need 2 halogen bulbs for a piece the size of your fist. As long as you keep trimming it, you just need one light to cut back on the heat around it.

[sen5241b]

I've had 2 10 watt halogen bulbs since last summer that never caused a problem until a couple weeks ago.

 

"Double 10 watt"

[Mr. Fosi]

I believe you about the lights, but when chaeto breaks up like you are describing, it is usually heat related and those halogen lights run pretty warm.

[sen5241b]

I believe you about the lights, but when chaeto breaks up like you are describing, it is usually heat related and those halogen lights run pretty warm.

 

I just re-checked them and you guys were right in that the bulbs were part of the problem. Flow problems between chambers was not the problem although the blue sponge will prevent the green stuff from getting into the main display.

 

One of the bulbs was burnt out and I think they got pulled above the water line and overheated. If submersed they won't overheat --this must be why they were okay previously. There was also a little bit of water inside the protective bulb cover! Thx for the help.